Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) delivered another batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers to the military on Wednesday.
“Su-34 frontline bombers are distinguished by their high maneuverability and impressive combat capabilities, which allows them to perform a wide range of missions. These machines are appreciated by pilots and are actively being used today in the special military operation,” Vladimir Artyakov, deputy general director of Rostec, UAC’s parent company, said in a press release.
The Su-34s given over to the military on Wednesday were built at the Chaklov Novosibirsk Aviation Plant in Siberia, and underwent a series of ground and flight tests ahead of the handover.
Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber delivered to Russian military. November 2023.
© Photo : United Aircraft Corporation
“We will continue to fulfill our obligations to the Ministry of Defense, ensuring the smooth production flow and timely transfer of aviation equipment,” UAC director Yuri Slyusar said.
“The Novosibirsk Plant is one of the important executors of state defense orders within the UAC network. The company has already begun the implementation of next year's production program, the volume of which will be significantly increased. The necessary production reserve has been created. In addition, the plant is busy servicing and maintaining the airworthiness of aircraft already in service,” Slyusar added.
The Su-34 has become an important component of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ strike capability, taking part in operations in Syria from 2015 onward, and in Ukraine after the escalation of the crisis with NATO in early 2022.
Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber delivered to Russian military. November 2023.
© Photo : United Aircraft Corporation
Russia has at least 105 Su-34s in its inventory, plus at least seven modernized Su-34Ms, with the Defense Ministry planning to purchase some 76 of the modernized variants of the aircraft by 2027. An export modification of the jet known as the Su-32 exists, but has yet to be exported outside Russia.
Development of the Su-34 began at the twilight of the Soviet period, with the jet first flown in 1990. The plane had a difficult development period through the 1990s and 2000s due to post-Soviet funding cutbacks, and saw several waves of modernization accounting for new technologies by the time production began. The Su-34 was born out of the Soviet and Russian militaries’ plans to gradually replace the Sukhoi Su-24 variable-sweep winged, twin-engined jets produced since the 1960s.
The Su-34 is designed to be able to engage in both air-to-air and ground combat missions, and features an unusually wide array of armaments for aircraft of its class, including a 30 mm autocannon, and 12 hardpoints on its wings and fuselage for up to 14,000 kg of munitions, from air-to-ground bombs, missiles, and anti-ship munitions, to anti-radiation, air-to-surface and small cruise missiles. In September, a source in the Russian military revealed that a Su-34 jet had used a Kinzhal (lit. "Dagger") hypersonic missile in the special operation zone. The munition is ordinarily meant to be launched from specialized Mikoyan MiG-31K interceptor aircraft, and Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, with its launch using the Su-34 demonstrating the jet’s versatility.
Su-34s have a top-speed of up to Mach 1.8 fully loaded, a 1,300 km per hour cruising speed, a ferry range of over 4,000 km, and a combat radius with onboard fuel pods of 1,700 km. The jets can be refueled in midair, further increasing their range. The jets are powered by a pair of twin Saturn AL-31FM1 afterburning turbofan engines. Onboard avionics include passive electronically scanned array radar, electronic countermeasures and radio surveillance systems, and radar warning receiver.
Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber delivered to Russian military. November 2023.
© Photo : United Aircraft Corporation